A life dedicated to helping veterans

Lee Williams Topics Editor

Monday

Jan 8, 2018 at 5:25 PMJan 8, 2018 at 5:25 PM

A Q&A with Cindy McGrew, founder and president of the national veterans' charity Operation Second Chance

Cindy McGrew is the founder and president of Operation Second Chance, a Maryland-based nonprofit with a thriving Florida chapter dedicated to serving wounded or sick combat veterans — those who are hospitalized and, as recovery continues, at home. The organization has been recognized nationally for the high level of individualized free care it provides to thousands of veterans and their families. OSC raises more than $1 million annually through a variety of fundraisers, while keeping overhead low.

Q: How did you first become involved in serving the veterans' community?

A: "I had four brothers who served during Vietnam. Three went to Vietnam. The other did two years at West Point. In 2004, a friend of mine went to Iraq. He was attached to the Stryker Brigade. I started reading about guys who were in the brigade who were wounded and coming back to Walter Reed. I visited them. Initially, I sent an email to the Brigade's first wounded soldier, who was shot in the head by a sniper, and then there were seven more. When I got to Walter Reed, I noticed the guys were in gowns and their parents were in clothes they'd worn for days. They'd gone to Walter Reed not knowing how long they'd be there, scrambling after a 3 a.m. call. I started bringing food, magazines, portable games to keep them occupied. The wards were nearly full then. I saw parents standing in the halls crying worried about their mortgages. I saw single moms — I honestly thought I'd be there for just a year."

Q: How does Operation Second Chance differ now compared to when it was formed?

A: "Before it was just me, until four years ago. Now, we have a minimal staff. The board thought I was overworked, so they told me to hire an assistant, Vanessa. She keeps things going at the office. Now I also have Emily, who we hired after an internship — a paid internship program for wounded soldiers, wives and caregivers. We just hired a Tampa veteran, an amputee, an Air Force colonel I met at Walter Reed who flew Air Force Two for awhile. Our overhead is still low — 10-12 percent — and we work very hard to keep it that low. It will be even less this year. We had a good year. Close to $900,000 went out in emergency financial assistance and morale related activities."

Q: Can you tell us about some of your latest projects?

A: "We pay so much out in mortgage, rent and utilities. We request that everything comes to us through a caseworker or VA rep. It allows us to respond faster — sometimes within hours. Last week we heard that a veteran's furnace had been out for a long time. He has three kids and a baby on the way. They live in Pennsylvania. It's been terribly cold up north. When we found out we knew we had to do something. We just made a deposit on a new furnace and they're scheduling an install this week."

Q: What are the national issues facing the veterans' community today?

A: "The suicide rate is 22 veterans per day, not just from this war but from all wars. One per day is too many. We feel like if we can take some of the financial pressure off the veterans, get them out in activities, keep them engaged, it will help. There's still so many we don't know about out there."

Q: Have you noticed any change in the level of care veterans are receiving from the VA now that there's a new administration?

A: "I think it's gotten better. I've seen a change for the better. I hope it continues to get better. They certainly deserve it."

Q: You've helped more than more than 6,000 veterans and their families. I know they're all special, but who stands out?

A: "One of my first guys, Michael, is special. He lost an arm at the shoulder. He joined the Army because his mother was ill and he wanted to help pay for her meds. He's a very patriotic, smart young man. He was at Walter Reed for years, and I got so attached. I remember when he left. I was driving him to the airport crying. I remember him reaching over and telling me that it would be okay. I'd see him again."

Q: What have you got planned for the upcoming Florida Fun Shoot fundraiser, which will be held Feb. 16 at the Sarasota Gun Club? (The Herald-Tribune is a sponsor of the event, for which other sponsorships and tickets remain available.)

A: "We've got a great guest speaker. Lots of veterans are going to be there. We've got good community support and such a great group of down-to-earth guys running it. It's always had a great family atmosphere."

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